American TikToker condemns Bangkok taxi driver for trying to rip him off

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, PeterA said:

Maybe if he doesn't use the meter, he doesn't  pay the cab company? Don't know for sure.

Most drivers rent the taxi, pay the daily charge to the cooperative and all the takings are theirs...unless they own the taxi in which case everything they take is theirs.

[Liverpool Lou]

 

4 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I was pointing out this IS a scam.

But it wasn't a scam...illegal, officially, but not a scam.  He didn't take the trip and didn't pay anything and if he had accepted the driver's offer he would have known exactly how much he was going to pay.  That is not a scam.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I never ask, just get in and tell them where to go.

Never have a problem. 

That's right, and never have anything to do with any driver who opens the front passenger window to have a discussion, just wave him on and get the next one.

[paul1804]

I had the exact same scenario last year in Bangkok, I got charged 300 Thb and told it was a 20 minute drive to the shopping mall, less than 5 minutes later he stops and says here’s your destination which it was. So I asked him so why is a less than 5 minute drive a 300 Thb fare and he answered, today Sunday no traffic! I said to him I suppose that’s welcome to Thailand taxi driver ripoffs and he laughed!

sadly they are too short sighted to realise long term they will be the losers and the authorities do little to fix the problem except talk about it. 

[ChrisKC]

3 hours ago, ChrisKC said:

When in Bangkok and I hailed a taxi, he stops and I open the passenger door. asking for the meter to be turned on, if he says no, I leave the taxi with the door still open!

Got what he deserves!. Can get out and close his own door!

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

4 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I never ask, just get in and tell them where to go.

Never have a problem. 

And they always drop the flag?

More often than not in Bangkok, as long as you don't consent to have a discussion with the driver if he just drops the passenger window.

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, fondue zoo said:

It's a sh????tty job,

It isn't that <deleted>, if it were there wouldn't be tens of thousands registered!

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, bob smith said:

4 hours ago, CecilM said:

The vast majority of drivers are decent.

wrong.

The vast majority are decent, in general, a small minority try the 'no meter' trick in certain areas.

[CecilM]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

The vast majority are decent, in general, a small minority try the 'no meter' trick in certain areas.

Thank you. ????

There’s bad players in every country and every tourist spot around the world; and many are more aggressive than ‘no meter taxis’.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

The taxi's are being replaced by Grab, Bolt, etc.

No, they're not, some taxis drivers are Grab drivers also but there are no plans for hailed taxis to be replaced.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I thought TikTokkers exist to be ripped off. Would he report about an ordinary taxi ride? Obviously no. So the taxi driver gave him what he wanted. 

Yes.  Wouldn't be surprised if the driver was in on it!

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, cdemundo said:

Taxi driver: “300 hundred baht, OK?”
Rupp: “Meter?”
Taxi driver: “No, no meter.”

 

So he got in the taxi which implies he agreed to the conditions

No, he did not get into the taxi.

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, paulbrow said:

7 hours ago, dpeti73 said:

The driver not fraud this idiot social media jerk. It was a clear statement 300B like or walk away.

I guess you like paying twice the price.

"Twice the price"?  I guess that you know from where the proposed trip was to start and how much it would be on the meter, then?

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, bob smith said:

attempted fraud though.

 

would you say the same about attempted murder? no murder was committed so no harm done?

think before you type, Lou.

Not fraud, both parties would have known exactly what the fare was and what had to be paid...that is not fraud.   Illegal, but not fraud.

 

"would you say the same about attempted murder? no murder was committed so no harm done?"

Obviously, not, because that would be a particularly inane suggestion.  Think before you type, Smith.

[Liverpool Lou]

48 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

I had the exact same scenario last year in Bangkok, I got charged 300 Thb and told it was a 20 minute drive to the shopping mall, less than 5 minutes later he stops and says here’s your destination which it was. So I asked him so why is a less than 5 minute drive a 300 Thb fare and he answered, today Sunday no traffic!

"So I asked him...".

If you had no idea where you were going, maybe you should have asked yourself, "Why didn't I just get a taxi that would use the meter?"

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, recom273 said:

yes, he 100% he should accept the fare he stopped for, but what if the traffic is bad and he knows at that time of night he won't get a return fare - rather than refuse the fare, he offers him a deal - 300B, we dont know from a 30 second clip where the guy was, this guy laid a trap and purposely waited for a driver who wouldn't use a meter, he didnt make a banner saying, this guy wanted to charge me a possible 40B more to travel from lower Suk to Khao San during rush hour, a 45 minute journey in the best time. He also didnt make a video of the guy following him who when he jabbed his finger at the meter, just nodded and he jumped in .. what great content that would make.

You're over egging the excuses.

 

Taxi drivers provide a service to the public. 

Their licence is an agreement to use the meter and take all customers to their desitination. 

They are not allowed to reject customers, they are not allowed to charge a flat rate, they have to use the meter.

These are the rules the Taxi drivers agreed to. 

 

The issue of course is that 'Thainess' has slipped in to the point of 'entitlement' further enabled by a complete lack of enforcement - this is at the cost to the public.

 

What ever excuses are made by posters who think they are being sympathetic to the plight of taxi drivers is fundamentally flawed - for all intent an purposes this is like a Public Bus driver making up his own charges and rejecting passengers who aren't willing to pay. 

 

You may think the 'tik-toker' laid a trap - but if the taxi driver wasn't dishonest, there was no trap to fall into. 

 

In certain areas of Bangkok getting a Taxi can be anything from a real pain in the neck to irritating. 

 

We were between cars - my Wife picked my Son up at Lunchtime from his School (in Sukhumvit) a number of taxi drivers in a row simply refused the journey... This was a lady with a 3 year old child and the taxi's drivers are still being an ayhole.

 

Try and get a taxi from Sukhumvit at any time of evening in area's from the Lower Sukhimvit Area (Asoke to Nana) and a metered taxi is pretty much an impossibility. 

 

Get a taxi from further out and there are fewer issues. 

 

These complaints have being going on for decades - it would be extremely easy for the Police to deal with this IF only the gave the tiniest of consideration to the issue.

The complete apathy of law enforcement is the roote cause in enabling these chancers to get away with whatever they want. 

 

I'm just glad its not as bad in Bangkok as it is in Pattaya, Samui and Phuket. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[reefsurfah]

8 hours ago, sumongkhwai said:

Wait, the taxi driver told him the price, 300 baht or about $US8. If the kid didn't like it, find another. We always try and find a working meter but, on occasion where there isn't, agree on the price up front. It doesn't say where the trip orginated from. He could have offered the guy 150 baht. (I am assuming the TikTok star is an avid Bangkok traveler and knows what the right price should be from where he was trying to get picked up). Honestly, if $US2 is gonna ruin your trip, stay home and get an $US8 coffeee somewhere.

Not a tiktok star, just a wannabe attention grabbing loser with 7K subs.  

[PETERTHEEATER]

11 hours ago, still kicking said:

I often wonder why they call them taxi meters they never use their meters 

When the do the mechanism emits a sound 'tick....tock'????

[n00dle]

9 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Can't this kid get nailed for defamation?

Kid? I met Jason Rupp 20 years ago kicking around Sukhumvit. Kid he ain't.

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

 

But it wasn't a scam...illegal, officially, but not a scam.  He didn't take the trip and didn't pay anything and if he had accepted the driver's offer he would have known exactly how much he was going to pay.  That is not a scam.

It's never a scam, if the driver offers you a fixed price in lieu of using the meter and you accept it, it becomes a contract accepted by your verbal agreement. 

It is no different than the fixed prices listed in many taxis for fares to other cities. 

[n00dle]

5 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I never ask, just get in and tell them where to go.

Never have a problem. 

If they want more than the meter, you aren't getting in without agreeing to a price. 

[Liverpool Lou]

4 minutes ago, Artisi said:

It's never a scam, if the driver offers you a fixed price in lieu of using the meter and you accept it, it becomes a contract accepted by your verbal agreement. 

 

I know that, what are you telling me that for?  That's what I said!

[FruitPudding]

1 hour ago, paul1804 said:

I had the exact same scenario last year in Bangkok, I got charged 300 Thb and told it was a 20 minute drive to the shopping mall, less than 5 minutes later he stops and says here’s your destination which it was. So I asked him so why is a less than 5 minute drive a 300 Thb fare and he answered, today Sunday no traffic! I said to him I suppose that’s welcome to Thailand taxi driver ripoffs and he laughed!

sadly they are too short sighted to realise long term they will be the losers and the authorities do little to fix the problem except talk about it. 

They are the type of people who would rip off an elderly lady at the airport. 

 

They just take advantage wherever they can.

 

It gets to the point where getting a taxi can be a challenge cos so many do it.

 

[FruitPudding]

23 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

We were between cars - my Wife picked my Son up at Lunchtime from his School (in Sukhumvit) a number of taxi drivers in a row simply refused the journey... This was a lady with a 3 year old child and the taxi's drivers are still being an ayhole.

They are just inhumane.

 

They'd rip off a 70 year old woman at the airport for all they can out of her. There's no limit.

 

I just don't use taxis anymore where possible and when I have to I just don't tip. 

[richard_smith237]

18 minutes ago, reefsurfah said:

Not a tiktok star, just a wannabe attention grabbing loser with 7K subs.  

Who cares....    His video highlights a frustrating issue many of us deal with when attempting to use a taxi. 

 

Nothing is done in Thailand without either a) money or b) loss of face. 

 

I hope this generates sufficient loss of face for those in positions of decision making power to do something about this irritating issue ( I won't be holding my breath though - this issue exists because those in positions of power simply do not care ).

 

 

[Artisi]

5 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I know that, what are you telling me that for?  That's what I said!

I know what you said, but not everyone following this link are as smart as you - so I was just reinforcing your comment, so rest easy and have another coffee. 

[Liverpool Lou]

Just now, Artisi said:

11 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I know that, what are you telling me that for?  That's what I said!

I know what you said, but not everyone following this link are as smart as you - so I was just reinforcing your comment, so rest easy and have another coffee. 

Ok, thanks, I'll put the kettle on.

[Artisi]

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

Ok, thanks, I'll put the kettle on.

I'll take mine black, thanks - not sure that's PC now a days. 

[Ralf001]

26 minutes ago, reefsurfah said:

Not a tiktok star, just a wannabe attention grabbing loser with 7K subs.  

This attention grabbing loser is doing ok with youtube coin !

 

https://jason-rupp-net-worth

[Liverpool Lou]

Just now, Artisi said:

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Ok, thanks, I'll put the kettle on.

I'll take mine black, thanks - not sure that's PC now a days. 

I'll stick with a little milk, black's not nice.  PC or not!